Health Care Supervision and Management (HSM), a concentration in the Master of Science in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences program, is housed in the Department of Health Information Management, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS). Pitt and SHRS are currently ranked the #1 college in the US to student health professions according to College Factual as listed in a recent article in USA Today.

The Health Care Supervision and Management (HSM) concentration provides health professionals an opportunity for career advancement. Qualified students with interests in administration and supervisory management in health care, long-term care, and rehabilitation may pursue a 41-42 credit concentration in Health Care Supervision and Management.

This program is designed for professionals in health care who wish to attain knowledge and skills at the graduate level to prepare for a supervisory management position or to upgrade competencies developed earlier in his/her career.

Students with a special interest in long-term care for the aging or disability studies may pursue additional courses offered within SHRS and/or the Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH).

Program Requirements

All students enrolled in the Health Care Supervision and Management concentration are required to complete 41-42 credits. Courses are chosen with the advisor and a Plan of Study will be developed to enable each student to design an in-depth study of Health Care Supervision and Management taking into account student’s previous academic preparation and experience.

Most of our courses are only offered once per academic year. Please also note that you will have a required class that is offered during Summer. If a student fails to successfully complete a course, the student must retake the course the next academic year. Furthermore, this may also prevent the student from registering for the advanced-level courses and delay the date of graduation.

HSM Curriculum and Course Descriptions

The Health Care Supervision and Management curriculum allows students to choose from required core courses and elective courses. Elective courses can be chosen from SHRS or other academic programs within the University.

Students are required to take six credits in an area in which they want to further develop their professional skills, selected from the following lis of electives or from other offerings within the School and University.

Please note: All students are required to take at least 30 credits within SHRS

** A comprehensive examination is required and should be scheduled by the advisor and student **

Internships for Graduate Students

Graduate students in the Department of Health Information Management in the areas of Health Information Systems and Health Care Supervision & Management are required to complete an internship as part of their curriculum. The overall goal of the internship is to provide students with practical experiences to apply their knowledge and skills that they learn in their respective graduate programs.

The HIM department has affiliation agreements with approximately 200+ clinical sites for student internships. The following list provides a sample of these sites:

Center for Connected Medicine

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh - IS Department

Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh

Excela Health

Highmark

M*Modal

McKesson

Oman HIM Institute

United Cerebral Palsy of Pittsburgh

University of Pennsylvania Health System

UPMC CTSI (Clinical and Translational Science Institute)

UPMC Department of Radiology

UPMC eRecord

UPMC Health Track

UPMC Interface Development

UPMC Physician Services Division

UPMC Radiology Division

UPMC Technology Development Center

Prerequisites for Graduate Internships

The following are required in order for students to be eligible to participate in an internship. The student’s advisor will provide detailed information and time guidelines for completion of the requirements once the student matriculates into the graduate program.

Physical examination including proof or completion of specific immunizations

TB test, 2-step

Pennsylvania Criminal Record Check

Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance

FBI Background Check (includes fingerprinting)

HIPAA Training and Certification

Students must carry personal health insurance while participating in an internship

Students must carry professional student liability insurance coverage while participating in an internship. This coverage is provided by the SHRS group insurance plan and will appear as a charge on the students’ tuition bill.

Some sites may have additional requirements (i.e. drug screen, influenza vaccine, or orientation programs specific to their organization).

Internship sites may not allow a student to participate in an internship at their site if the background check reports that they have been convicted of a misdemeanor; a felony; or a felonious or illegal act associated with alcohol and/or substance abuse.

Additional Information:

Travel to internship sites is the responsibility of the student. Students are expected to have a car or to provide their own transportation to all remote sites; no exceptions will be made. Not all sites are accessible by public transportation.

All expenses for transportation, parking, meals, and costs of prerequisites associated with clinical education are the responsibility of the student.

Approximate cost for clearances is $100, and costs for physical exam and immunization status are dependent on health insurance coverage and provider costs.

Approximate cost for drug screen is $40.

The internship is 3 credits, and requires a minimum of 180 hours of student participation.

For more information on internships students are encouraged to contact their academic advisor.